WAN security vendor: To go network hardware provider or third-party?

Best-of-breed or integrated solution? For years, IT departments have struggled to answer that question. Network vendors, such as Cisco and Juniper Networks, have carved out leading positions in WAN security, but along the way, dozens of third-party providers have emerged, offering features that often outdo the incumbents. Now IT pros must weigh the pros and cons in each type of provider, taking into consideration factors that range from cost to ease-of-management. What’s more, they’ve got to keep an eye on the emergence of virtual network security appliances and new programmable network architectures. Why University of Kentucky chose Cisco as a WAN security vendor The University of Kentucky operates a WAN that provides access to 28,000 students and 12,000 staff and faculty members. The university relies mainly on Cisco routers and switches to move information from place to place, so when the network was deployed years ago, the IT team opted for Cisco firewalls. One reason for that choice was that the integrated approach required...